Sue Paish, QC

Class of 1981-1982

Sue Paish, QC is a UBC Faculty of Law alumna, Class of 1982, and a respected leader with a track record of success in law, business and philanthropy. As a lawyer, Ms. Paish worked her way from articling student to managing partner at Russell & DuMoulin, one of the nation’s leading law firms, which is now known as Fasken. There, not only was she the youngest and first female managing partner, but Ms. Paish spearheaded the expansion of the firm from one office in Vancouver to an international platform with nine offices in three continents. In 2007, Ms. Paish transitioned her career into the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, becoming CEO of a national retail pharmacies conglomerate, Pharmasave Drugs Ltd. Ms. Paish remained in this position for five and a half years until she took a leadership role at LifeLabs, a company at the forefront of Canadian diagnostic laboratory testing, where she held the titles of President and CEO until December 2017. In May 2018, Ms. Paish once again broadened the impressive scope of her expertise in business leadership by joining Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster as CEO. This supercluster initiative focuses on collaboration among partners to foster technological innovation within Canada’s economies.

Ms. Paish has held the position of Director of various companies and charitable organizations. She is a past Chair and Governor of the Vancouver Board of Trade and is the Founding Chair of the Women’s Leadership Circle. Ms. Paish has been an Independent Director and Chair of the Human Resources Committee at CORIX Group of Companies since 2008, which focuses on implementing sustainable water infrastructures in communities across North America.

Ms. Paish has been recognized extensively for both her professional and community work. In 2001, she was appointed Queen’s Counsel. For her outstanding achievements, Ms. Paish was honoured by the Allard Law Alumni Association as the recipient of the 2008 Alumni Award of Distinction. This award is given to an Allard School of Law alumnus/alumna whose endeavors in the practice of law, government service, the judiciary, business, legal academe, community service or other areas have brought honour to the law school. In 2018, Ms. Paish was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Business in Vancouver Influential Women in Business Awards. Additionally, in 2018, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Ms. Paish’s commitment to the community and to UBC in particular are inspired by her family, especially daughters Diana, Kyla and Nadia and her husband, Brad Gunderson. UBC holds a special place in Ms. Paish’s life. She credits her time at UBC with bringing into focus “the value of integrity, collaboration, cooperation and work ethic.” Ms. Paish has continued to show her support for the Allard School of Law as a member of the Centre for Business Law’s Dean’s Advisory Committee. Furthermore, Ms. Paish and her family made the Paish and Gunderson Family group study room possible through a generous donation to the law school.